Fourth of July Weekend

July 7

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, delivered at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863

On June 1, 1865, Senator Charles Sumner commented on what is now considered the most famous speech by President Abraham Lincoln. In his eulogy on the slain president, he called it a "monumental act."

He said Lincoln was mistaken that "the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here." Rather, the Bostonian remarked, "The world noted at once what he said, and will never cease to remember it. The battle itself was less important than the speech."


Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

2 Chronicles 7:14

if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.


On this Fourth of July, may all true, patriotic Americans resolve to do all in their power to restore this nation that was laid at the feet of Jesus at its inception to the position of faith before the cross that elevated her to the status of the greatest country the world has ever known. May we resolve with Lincoln to perpetuate the battle for freedom that was so valiantly fought at Gettysburg.

On this Fourth of July, may we who believe in the Living and Eternal Christ bind together in one accord, lifting to the Throne of Mercy and Grace the words of supplication for our land that are found in II Chronicles 7:14.

May we resolve to be His light in this darkening culture; may we be His ray of truth shining a nation plunged into the depth of lies. May we, as the words of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” declare, proclaim to those who would snare us in bondage, “As Christ died to make men holy, let us die to make men free!” Let us cast off the yoke of tyranny and allow liberty to again be proclaimed in this land!